Gym and Reactive hypoglycemia

LoBright4 said:

I also need to invest in a blood sugar level monitor

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You may have spotted the problem - but without a meter, it is not possible to confirm.
I confess that everything I know about reactive hypoglycemia, I have learnt on this forum. But it surprises me, if you are likely to suffer from hypos that you are not entitled to s meter on the NHS. What if you had this experience when driving?
Is it worth speaking to your GP about feeling faint and, if possible, encourage them to prescribe a meter and test strips?

As for a low BG, I experience this when exercising. There are a few ways I avoid it but assuming reducing your insulin is not possible for you, the only other way I know is to eat carbs before (or during) exercise so you start (maintain) with a higher BG.

Some people may think this counteracts the good you get from your exercise. This is not my experience but may be so for someone on a low carb diet.
Regarding consuming carbs during exercise, I do this by adding a small amount (a couple of squirts) of squash to my water bottle. It took me a bit of trial and error but I add so little that I can barely taste it yet enough to maintain a good (enough) BG.

LoBright4 said:

Hello all
today was an interesting day
I had soya and lineseed bread with peanut butter and some milk then went to the gym first time as it is my new years resolution to get healthier
the last time I felt faint was about a year and a bit ago when I was in sixth form and didnt eat breakfast. That time I fainted and was diagnosed with the condition. since then I have made small changes to my diet such as going for wholewheat pasta and sweet potatoes instead of white pasta. It has helped in the sense I havent felt faint since then until today
when I was doing my workout with a personal trainer I started feeling lightheaded
is there anything that I can do to try and prevent this from occuring again
I also need to invest in a blood sugar level monitor
kind regards

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Hi again,
Unfortunately, only mild exercise will be able because regardless of anything that you try and prevent feeling faint, it doesn't work.
It's because once you have depleted your body of the glucose you are using as energy, the liver will give you a glucose boost, known as a liver dump. This will give your blood glucose levels a boost, too much.
This is a hyper, which for us RH ers is not recommended because excess insulin will be the result which will send you into low levels (hypo).
If you are just starting your new exercise routine, start with walking or gentle swimming, this will not only help with maintaining blood glucose levels but can loose you weight.
I don't know your age but walking is really good for us, especially fifteen minutes after eating.
And you definitely need a glucometer. Do ask your GP or get your specialist to write to your GP, you should keep a food diary.
It's great, you have found some control and reduced your carbs, the ones you mentioned would still have me struggling. That is how I found out that potatoes for me are really bad for me. You need to test and record, so you can see what is happening.
There has been quite a lot of posters, who struggle like us with food tolerance, that even very low GI foods will react your blood glucose levels too high, which is really bad for me and others. It is the carb content even in slow acting complex carbs. A low GI carb will still stimulate your pancreas to trigger too much insulin just as much as high GI carbs.

Keep asking, keep experimenting, let us know how you get on.

Best wishes

helensaramay said:

You may have spotted the problem - but without a meter, it is not possible to confirm.
I confess that everything I know about reactive hypoglycemia, I have learnt on this forum. But it surprises me, if you are likely to suffer from hypos that you are not entitled to s meter on the NHS. What if you had this experience when driving?
Is it worth speaking to your GP about feeling faint and, if possible, encourage them to prescribe a meter and test strips?

As for a low BG, I experience this when exercising. There are a few ways I avoid it but assuming reducing your insulin is not possible for you, the only other way I know is to eat carbs before (or during) exercise so you start (maintain) with a higher BG.

Some people may think this counteracts the good you get from your exercise. This is not my experience but may be so for someone on a low carb diet.
Regarding consuming carbs during exercise, I do this by adding a small amount (a couple of squirts) of squash to my water bottle. It took me a bit of trial and error but I add so little that I can barely taste it yet enough to maintain a good (enough) BG.

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Hi @helensaramay,
Thanks for that reply, it would be a really good idea for those that can tolerate some carbs before and during exercise, and it would be beneficial to make sure that your levels are just high enough to compensate for the strenuous exercise that depletes your energy levels.
With RH, unfortunately, strenuous exercise is not recommended, because it has to be totally dietary controlled. The pancreas and liver will fight for supremacy of your blood glucose and insulin levels. Causing fluctuations up and down, from hyper to hypo and yo yo continuously. This is why the OP feels lightheaded.
This is why very low carb is necessary and maintaining normal glucose levels is so important to our health. Being in or just above being in ketosis has improved my health and I have great energy levels. All my last blood panels were in normal range and my health practitioners praised my perfect health.
Control is so important.

Best wishes

LoBright4 said:

Ok will speak to the GP about it
will reread the general thread of it again as i have forgotten some stuff about it!!
will experiment with the squash next time
it may just be that I was dehydrated too as today I only had 500 ml before I went to the gym
Thanks

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Rehydration is important, on low carb even if you don't exercise.
Squash is just concentrated fruit juice. This is not recommended as it will quickly turn to glucose, I would recommend just water. Drink plenty though the day regardless of what you want to achieve, some would recommend about two litres a day, but I go through about a litre and a half.
You have to be careful about fruit in general, just small pieces through the day, Apple's and pears, berries, the sort of fruit that is usually labelled non tropical.
Yes, do read the threads.

Best wishes

I agree with maintaining hydration, especially before exercise. I get sudden severe headaches if I exercise without hydration. Now I make sure to have water with a bit of salt before I exercise. That may also help with the dizziness if it has a dehydration component.

You don’t want to know my spikes with vigorous exercise. Scary high. Never checked the low, since I tend to take a “nap” after, before RH diagnosis.

My experience of RH and exercise is that if I am in ketosis, I have virtually endless energy and no need for snacks either before or during the exercise.

On the other hand, if I am eating too many carbs for my body, then I find that my energy levels are erratic, and I may go wobbly and drop into a hypo.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

I am in Australia and have found it very difficult to get information, even my Dietitian doesn't help. I went to Gym a few days ago and the Exercise Physiologist advised me I can't exercise if my BGL is less than 5, so we devised a plan. I eat half an hour before I go to the class, take my BGL before commencing and half way through the program. I was 6.6 before starting, 5.6 half way through and down to 5.1 at the end. So I ate an apple. Lisa has been more help to me than anyone. I have been told to stick to a low GI diet and from what I read here that may be very wrong. I must keep reading. Strange thing when you have to work out for yourself what the issue is and how to correct it. Eating every three hours seems to work for me.

Croompette said:

I am in Australia and have found it very difficult to get information, even my Dietitian doesn't help. I went to Gym a few days ago and the Exercise Physiologist advised me I can't exercise if my BGL is less than 5, so we devised a plan. I eat half an hour before I go to the class, take my BGL before commencing and half way through the program. I was 6.6 before starting, 5.6 half way through and down to 5.1 at the end. So I ate an apple. Lisa has been more help to me than anyone. I have been told to stick to a low GI diet and from what I read here that may be very wrong. I must keep reading. Strange thing when you have to work out for yourself what the issue is and how to correct it. Eating every three hours seems to work for me.

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Yeah, I'm weird as well!
I can't do anything that will create higher than normal blood levels. Such as anything that means doing something like running, gentle exercise moderated by intermittent fasting and eating small very low carb meals is what works for me..
I know that if my heart rate goes up, my bloods will soon follow, closely followed by those awful symptoms, so I walk and work a lot, and I mean a lot. Typical day in or off work is usually about an average of of between five and ten kilometres.
I don't get to swim, weights, well, I've never been a fan and its not me!
I do a lot of chores at home as well! (I have to!)
You are correct, low GI foods have for some reason, (it's similar to having a carb intolerance) but even wheat, grains including oats, low fat dairy, because I'm lactose intolerant, and other starchy carby food especially potatoes have a significant impact on my blood sugar levels. I am literally potato intolerant! (I've not heard of it before either!)

But regardless of what I'm eating, my main aim is to stay in ketosis. This means I live at or as close as possible to normal blood levels because that is where my weird body is healthiest. This being in ketosis means I don't need carbs for my energy and my liver looks after me if I need glucose for my brain, no excess insulin, nor insulin resistance, which in turn means my metabolism works better without carbs.
Going without food also helps in ketosis, as in fasting, I even feel no hunger, don't have the craving, I think I only eat for nutritional reasons, to give me the vitamins and minerals I need, I survive on very little!

It is about finding your balance of carbs, (baddies), protein and fats that you can tolerate, usually saturated fats. I have issues with anything that is not saturated fat.

You have to test and experiment like I did!

When were you diagnosed and what did you have to go through to get that diagnosis?
What tests have you had?
Have you had medical advice that seems stupid and really makes you worse or ill?

Welcome to the forum.

Best wishes.

And I know I'm weird, which is part and parcel of getting your head around how you treat this condition to get control of your blood glucose levels.
It's not why but how I can be healthy again?